Celebrities Who Launched Liquor Brands

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The trio band of brothers announced they're planning on releasing their own beer sometime next year. This isn't their first try with branded products -- the brothers have their own version of board game Monopoly, aptly named "Hansonopoly."

What began as a typical endorsement deal turned into a 50-50 profit split for Diddy and Ciroc maker Diageo. The rapper, producer and entrepreneur vowed to develop branding and market position for the vodka. At the end of 2010, Ciroc sales were at $8.8 million, up 71 percent.

This homegrown bourbon was commissioned by the American rocker and is made close to home in Kentucky. Sourced from locally grown and family owned farms, each small batch of whiskey comes with an autographed guitar pick.

This mystical drink is based off the legend of the 13 crystal skulls, which inspired the design and distilling process. The vodka is triple distilled through Herkimer Diamonds and has no additives, leading it to be one of the purest alcohols on the market. Aykroyd dabbles in wine production as well.

Many credit the former Van Halen front man for the revitalization of the once-sleepy town of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, thanks to his popular bar, restaurant and concert venue Cabo Wabo Cantina. The similarly named tequila brand brought equal success, with Hagar selling his shares in the company for over $90 million.

The platinum rapper and self-proclaimed cognac connoisseur teamed up with spirits producer Kim Birkedal Hartmann to create the handcrafted Conjure. The rapper sampled over 40 types of brandy before deciding on the ideal blend to reflect his personal taste in the spirit. The cognac has seen steady sales increases in America and across European markets since its launch in 2009.

Absinthe, which is still illegal in the U.S. but available in European markets, was once widely assumed to cause hallucinogenic effects. Manson helped craft his own version, which was released in 2007. The initial batch was offered with an exclusive hand-painted watercolor label by Manson.

The fashion icon brought to market the only vodka completely produced in Italy. The premium brand, which sells for $60, is sold internationally and has won several tasting awards since its release in 2005.

After DeVito made a now infamous visit to "The View," where he admitted being drunk on limoncello, the actor and producer turned the gaffe into a successful business venture. The traditional Italian liqueur has a scratch-and-sniff label, and DeVito himself sings the brand's theme song!

Named after the area code of Timberlake's Memphis hometown, the $40 tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave, making it a surprising standout to discerning tasters. This isn't the singer, actor and producer's first venture, as he also owns a clothing line, William Rust, and has a Manhattan restaurant, Southern Hospitality.

Despite his many successes, The Donald's latest venture turned out to be quite a flop. The vodka, which was categorized as "super premium" and packed with gold labels, was pulled from production lines in the spring of 2010 for not meeting threshold requirements.

The liquor, founded by Motley Crew rocker Vince Neil, came onto the market to surprisingly good reviews. The tequila is of a higher quality, using artisan well water for the distilling process, and produces several versions. Neil has been quoted saying his tequila is "better than Sammy Hagar's."

The "crunk" rapper debuted his own wine label in 2008 after sharing some private labels with friends at parties. The line, which includes a 2006 Chardonnay, is no joke for the artist, who admits he's not an expert. "I'm not no 'drink wine every day' kind of dude," he told NBC. "I'm not like an expert, so don't ask me no questions ... I just like the taste."

The super-producer was heavily involved in the creation of his female-geared creme vodka, of which he designed the bottle and label. The liquor is available in two flavors: strawberry cream and peach cream.

The reality show star has exploded onto the booze scene with her low-calorie margarita and sangria mixes. During the spring, Frankel sold the brand to Beam for an undisclosed amount, with reports claiming payoffs anywhere from $8.1 million to upwards of $100 million. Frankel continues to oversee brand development.

The famed director and producer is a well-known and respected name in the wine industry, producing nine different variations. In 2010, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery resort opened in California to give guests the ultimate wine experience.

The retired NBA star credited his exposure to American culture for his growing taste in fine wines. Capitalizing on the Chinese wine boom, Yao has begun manufacturing high-end wines for the Asian market. The label will be available in the U.S. at an unknown date.

What's the next move when your name starts to fall off the A list? For a lot of celebrities, it's alcohol. But these celebs aren't landing in rehab -- instead, they're headed straight to the bank with branded liquors and wines.

The latest to join the liquor entrepreneur ranks of Diddy and Dan Aykroyd is teeny rocker trio Hanson (who are all now of age). The Hanson brothers recently announced plans to release their own MMMHop IPA. In an equally random venture, retired NBA star Yao Ming announced this week that he has created his own wine label, Yao Family Wines, developed exclusively for the booming Chinese wine market.

Sound ridiculous? Some, like Marilyn Manson's self-branded absinthe Mansinthe, are, but other stars, like former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar have turned hocking booze into a million-dollar payoff. Inspired by Hagar's Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Cabo Wabo Tequila was created in 1996. In 2007, Hagar sold 80 percent of his stake in the company to Campari/Skyy for $80 million. In 2010, Hagar sold his remaining share to the company for an additional $11 million, while still maintaining ownership of the Cantina brand and restaurants.